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Lai Mohammed’s statement shows Buhari has surrendered to terrorists —PDP

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Believe me and not the UN, no ransom was paid for Dapchi girls— Lai

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said the statement of the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Lai Mohammed, that the Federal Government is not duty-bound to protect Nigerians from bandits, has confirmed fears that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has surrendered Nigeria to terrorists.

In a statement released on Wednesday by its spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party said Mohammed’s statement further reveals that the Buhari Presidency was not committed to combating banditry but has been feeding Nigerians with “lies, propaganda and falsehood”, while bandits loot the nation.

PDP maintained that the statement by the minister was another clear evidence that Buhari was absent-minded, and had completely turned down the responsibilities of his office and surrendered to bandits.

The statement read, “it is incredulous that the Buhari Presidency, in its failures, is abdicating a responsibility exclusively vested on it by the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to operate all apparatus of national security; the police, military, paramilitary and all other armed services; to secure lives and property in all parts of our country.

“Perhaps, President Buhari and his minister of information need to be tutored that the Second Schedule (Exclusive Legislative List) clearly vested the control of all apparatus of national security on the Federal Government and not the states.

“Items 2, 28, 38, 45, 57 of the Exclusive List are clear in vesting the operation of the police, the military and other armed services; the control of arms and ammunitions as well as criminal records among other statutory paraphernalia of national security on the Federal Government and not the state.”

Read also: Lai Mohammed backs restructuring, state police, opposes open grazing

PDP argued that APC and the Buhari Presidency need to be tutored that bandits and kidnappers were terrorists, noting that in line with the provisions of the Nigerian constitution, the agencies vested with the statutory responsibility of protecting Nigerians from such outlaws was under the control of the Federal Government.

The party maintained that it was unthinkable that Buhari, who promised to lead from the front, was now running away from his duty while seeking to heap the burden of his office on the states, which do not have control of security agencies.

“Moreover, the fact that a cabinet minister in the shade of Lai Mohammed is left to address this critical aspect of our national security that is vested on the President, shows that our nation is plagued by Presidential absenteeism and a dysfunctional command structure.

“Now that President Buhari and the APC-led Federal Government can no longer guarantee the safety of lives and property, the only way out is for the National Assembly to immediately amend the constitution and establish state police to guarantee the security of Nigerians as already recommended by the PDP,” PDP added.

The PDP called on President Buhari to come out and address the nation, in his own voice, on the worsening insecurity in the country.

By Victor Uzoho…

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